LARAMIE, Wyo. -
Wyoming began the game on an 18-3 run and shot 61% to open up a 46-18 halftime lead on the way to an 85-59 victory over UNLV on Saturday afternoon in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action from the Arena Auditorium. The Lady Rebels lost their third-straight game, just the second time in school history they have had a three-game MWC losing streak, to drop to 10-13 overall, 4-7 in the conference. The Cowgirls meanwhile improved to 16-6, 7-3 in the league.

UNLV missed its first 11 shots from the floor, while Wyoming connected on six of its first nine, including three treys to lead 18-3 with 11:04 left in the first half. With the Lady Rebels trailing by 17, 27-10, a 12-2 Cowgirl spurt, capped by a pair of three-pointers, gave them a commanding 27-point edge, 39-12, and they took a 46-18 lead into halftime.

The 46 points was exactly what Wyoming scored for the entire game the last time the teams met, a 51-46 win by UNLV on Jan. 11 in Las Vegas. The Cowgirls finished the half shooting 14-of-23 for 60.9%, 5-of-8 from downtown for 62.5%, and were 13-of-15 at the line for 86.7%. UNLV meanwhile was held to just 26.9% (7-of-26), was 1-of-8 on three-pointers, and attempted just four free throws, making three.

The lead increased to as high as 37 in the second half, before UNLV closed the margin to the final score of 85-59. The 26-point loss was largest for UNLV in a league play since a 74-48 loss at BYU on Feb. 5, 2005.

Sequoia Holmes scored a game-high 27 points for UNLV, but was the lone Lady Rebel to finish in double figures. Faye Muller and Allison Holiday both finished with eight points, while Brittany Halberg chipped in seven. UNLV shot 36.8% (21-of-57) from the floor for the game, and were 5-of-16 from three-point range for 31.3%. The Lady Rebels were outrebounded 40-25, and did not record a block for the first time this season.

Justyna Podziemska paced the Cowgirls with 15 points, one of five players in double figures. Dominique Sisk and Hanna Zavecz both scored 12 points each, while Jodi Bolerjack totaled 11. Wyoming finished the game hitting 25-of-49 for 51% from the floor, were 10-of-24 from three-point range for 41.7%, and made 25-of-32 at the line for 78.1%.

The Lady Rebels conclude their three-game road swing on Thursday, Feb. 15, when they take on Utah in Salt Lake City in a 6 pm (PST) contest.